FX Renews ‘The Strain,’ Picks Up ‘Better Things,’ Moves ‘Archer’ To FXX
The Television Critics Association panels have been going on for the past week or so, and we’ve had plenty of great updates from Fred Topel’s interviews and coverage that you can check outright here.
Today, straight from the TCA, comes some announcements fromFX, which includes a renewal for a third season ofThe Strain, orders fortwo new comedy seriesfeaturing some familiar FX talent, a new home forArcher, and fall premiere dates forAmerican Horror Story: Hotel, the second season ofFargoand more.
Get details on the new and returning FX 2015 TV shows after the jump!
The Strain
With the second season currently airing on Sundays at 10pm Eastern, FX has just announced thatThe Strainwill return for a third season, continuing the series adaptation ofGuillermo del ToroandChuck Hogan’s best-selling novel trilogy. Eric Schrier, President of Original Programming, says, “Guillermo and Carlton [Cuse] have delivered two thrilling seasons ofThe Strainthat are captivating and visually arresting, doing justice to the original novel trilogy and meeting fans' high expectations in the process. We’re excited to see them carry this powerful story into a third season on FX.”
Here’s what’s been going on in the second season if you haven’t been keeping up:
In the current second season, the transformation has begun. It can no longer be denied — New York City is rapidly falling to an evil epidemic, and no one is coming to its rescue. Its citizens must fight or die. Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) and his unlikely allies tried to take down the embodiment of this evil — the Master — and failed. Now Eph and Dr. Nora Martinez (Mia Maestro) concentrate on creating a biological weapon to wipe out the creatures, while Abraham Setrakian (David Bradley) searches for an ancient book he hopes will reveal the strigoi’s entire history…and possibly a way to kill them. Meanwhile, the Master is out for revenge, unleashing new and even more terrifying breeds of bloodthirsty creatures after our team. Our team must find a way to defeat him before the infection spreads too far and becomes irreparable…before they become monsters themselves.
Fall Premiere Dates
FX also revealed the premiere dates for the freshman seriesThe Bastard ExecutionerfromSons of Anarchycreator and showrunnerKurt Sutter, as well as returning seriesFargoandAmerican Horror Story. Get details on each of the shows, complete with official synopses, just below.
The series premieres onSeptember 15that 10pm Eastern on FX
Ryan Murphy serves as Co-Creator, Showrunner, Executive Producer, Writer and Director ofAmerican Horror Story: Hoteland Brad Falchuk is Co-Creator, Executive Producer and Writer. Tim Minear, Brad Buecker, Jennifer Salt, James Wong and Alexis Martin Woodall also serve as Executive Producers. TheAmerican Horror Storyfranchise is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television.
American Horror Story: Hotelpremieres onOctober 7that 10pm Eastern.
Here’s info on the second season ofFargo, which has an October premiere date set.
The all new “true crime” case of Fargo’s new chapter travels back to 1979 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Luverne, Minnesota. “Lou Solverson” (Patrick Wilson), a young State Trooper recently back from Vietnam, investigates a case involving a local crime gang, a major Mob syndicate and a small town beautician “Peggy Blumquist” (Kirsten Dunst) and her husband “Ed” (Jesse Plemons), the local butcher’s assistant. Helping Lou piece things together is his father-in-law, “Sheriff Hank Larsson” (Ted Danson).
The investigation will lead them to a colorful cast of characters that includes “Karl Weathers” (Nick Offerman), the town lawyer of Luverne, Minnesota. A Korean War vet, Karl is a flowery drunk blessed with the gift of gab and the eloquence of a true con artist. Three-time Emmy winner Brad Garrett will play “Joe Bulo,” the front man for the northern expansion of a Kansas City crime syndicate. The new face of corporate crime, Joe’s bringing a Walmart mentality to small town America. His number two is “Mike Milligan” (Bokeem Woodbine). Part enforcer, part detective, Mike is always smiling – but the joke is usually on you. Bulo and his crew have their sights set on the Gerhardt crime family in Fargo, currently led by matriarch “Floyd Gerhardt” (Jean Smart). With her husband at death’s door, Floyd takes over the family business, frustrating her eldest son, “Dodd Gerhardt” (Jeffrey Donovan). An impatient hothead with a cruel streak to match his ambitions, Dodd can’t wait for both his parents to die so he can take over and expand their business from kingdom to empire. “Bear Gerhardt” (Angus Sampson) is the middle son, an intimidatingly large man who, although inarticulate, is the most decent of his clan. “Rye Gerhardt” (Kieran Culkin), the youngest of the Gerhardt family, views himself as a big shot, but in reality he’s just a small dog who barks big.
Fargopremires onOctober 12that 10pm Eastern on FX.
Find out about a new animated comedy series joiningArcheron FXX and more on the next page.
FXXpicked up a new animated series calledCassius and Clay(above), presented in the same style of their successful comedyArcher. In fact, for the latter series' seventh season, it will be joiningCassius and Clayon FXX in2016, joining shows likeIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, You’re the WorstandMan Seeking Woman.Cassius and Clayis a new buddy action comedy featuringIt’s Always SunnystarKaitlin Olsonas Cassius Cordwood, a hard-drinking, quick-thinking, fast-talking bull-s***ter who has more debts than sense andLake Bellas Shopcarter Clay, the fastest gun in the post-apocalyptic South — she doesn’t go looking for trouble, she shares a station wagon with it. Here’s how Nick Grad of FX describes the show:
The show will also feature the voice talents ofSusan Sarandon, as a series regular, along withJB Smoove, Kevin Michael Richardson, Jeffrey Tambor, Katy Mixon, Robert PatrickandStephen Root.ArchercreatorAdam Reedwill write and executive produce the series withMegan Ganz(Modern Family,Community).
Better Things
FX has ordered a first season for a new comedy series calledBetter Things, featuring recurring Louie guest starPamela Adlon, who is also executive producing the show along withLouis C.K.(both co-created the show as well). Here’s the official synopsis of the new show starring Adlon as working single mother:
What’s it like to be a working woman raising three daughters on her own? Don’t ask. Ok. Since you asked. Things get gnarly. And bloody. And funny. Well to you, anyway. InBetter Things, Adlon plays “Sam,” a working actor with no filter trying to earn a living, navigate her daughters' lives, have fun with a friend or two, and also – just maybe – squeeze in some private time once in a while. Her life is funny to watch, but you wouldn’t want to live it (except sometimes).
Mikey Madison, Riley WatsonandOlivia Edwardstar in the series as Adlon’s three daughters.
No release date has been set forBetter Things, but stay tuned for more on that show and all of the forthcoming fall television programs coming very soon.
